At least two people were shot and killed as police moved to take charge of the public viewing of the body of late Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Kasarani International Stadium, Nairobi.
The victims were shot in a confrontation caused after a group tried to force their way into the VIP section of the stadium, where mortifications were preparing the body for viewing.
Police said at least one more person was injured in the chaos.
The police had to disperse the group to be able to organise the viewing.
This is after it became difficult to organise the exercise for smooth viewing after a long trip from India to Nairobi.
Director of police operations at the police, Adamson Bungei, confirmed the shooting, adding there were some fatalities.
He said they are investigating the incident.
“We have at least two deaths for now,” he said.
He added that the shooting was prompted by confrontations between the security officials and the mourners.
There were also gunshots at the stadium as the crowd turned violent, attacking police with twigs, demanding fast processing of the viewing.
It was then police used live bullets and teargas canisters to drive them out of the place.
Special teams had to be brought in to help with the operation.
The crowd had turned up in large numbers to view the body of Odinga, which had been retrieved from India when the chaos broke out.
Police had earlier been attacked by bees at the stadium, forcing them to take cover.
Police said they wanted to take charge of the event and enable the crowd to view the body.
But the crowd had taken control of the main field and terrace, making it impossible for the military, who had taken charge of the State Funeral, to ensure the viewing took place.
President William Ruto and his deputy, Kithure Kindiki, had arrived at the stadium to lead the viewing. Also present were former president Uhuru Kenyatta and the Odinga family.
Not knowing what to do next, the team was forced to lob teargas at the crowd to chase them out of the field.
This led to chaos at the stadium for several minutes.
Police said they took charge of the event and placed the body at a strategic place to enable the viewing.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and his Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, together with the head of public service Felix Koskei, were seen giving directions to the security teams on the way forward.
The viewing was expected to extend to the night, given that the crowd had surged to more than 60,000.
Raila, who passed away Wednesday morning in India, is being accorded full state honours in recognition of his immense contribution to Kenya’s democracy, reform, and national unity.
He will be laid to rest on Sunday.
